Jovan
A transliteration of the Macedonian male given name Јован (Jovan), equivalent to John
Every Jovan since 1966 — 11,063 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Jovan
Jovan is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,746 in 2025 with 93 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1966, 11,063 American babies have been named Jovan — about 90% boys and 10% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1979, when 329 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1970s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Jovan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Jovan year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 93 | #1,746 |
| 2024 | — | — | 95 | #1,745 |
| 2023 | — | — | 94 | #1,752 |
| 2022 | — | — | 115 | #1,554 |
| 2021 | — | — | 117 | #1,518 |
| 2020 | — | — | 124 | #1,404 |
| 2019 | — | — | 111 | #1,526 |
| 2018 | — | — | 101 | #1,619 |
| 2017 | — | — | 137 | #1,318 |
| 2016 | — | — | 141 | #1,293 |
| 2015 | — | — | 162 | #1,157 |
| 2014 | — | — | 170 | #1,129 |
| 2013 | — | — | 173 | #1,080 |
| 2012 | — | — | 161 | #1,138 |
| 2011 | — | — | 174 | #1,075 |
| 2010 | — | — | 190 | #1,022 |
| 2009 | — | — | 225 | #922 |
| 2008 | — | — | 237 | #887 |
| 2007 | — | — | 239 | #868 |
| 2006 | — | — | 239 | #844 |
| 2005 | — | — | 209 | #875 |
| 2004 | — | — | 247 | #751 |
| 2003 | 6 | #14,710 | 230 | #767 |
| 2002 | — | — | 222 | #779 |
| 2001 | 5 | #16,535 | 270 | #671 |
| 2000 | — | — | 260 | #683 |
| 1995 | 20 | #4,924 | 231 | #697 |
| 1990 | 34 | #3,250 | 265 | #622 |
| 1985 | 72 | #1,639 | 199 | #621 |
| 1980 | 75 | #1,559 | 218 | #581 |
| 1975 | 19 | #3,558 | 50 | #1,199 |
| 1970 | — | — | 8 | #3,668 |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Jovan
- Jovan Vladimir Politician · 990–1016
- Jovan Cvijić Geographer · 1865–1927
- Jovan Jovanović Zmaj Writer · 1833–1904
- Jovan Dučić Writer · 1871–1943
- Jovan Ristić Politician · 1831–1899
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Jovan mean?
A transliteration of the Macedonian male given name Јован (Jovan), equivalent to John
How popular is the name Jovan in 2025?
Jovan ranked #1,746 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 93 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Jovan?
11,063 babies have been named Jovan in the United States since 1966, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Jovan most popular?
Jovan peaked in 1979, when 329 newborns received the name.
Is Jovan a boy or girl name?
Jovan is used for both: about 10% of babies named Jovan have been girls and 90% boys.
Is the name Jovan rising or falling?
Jovan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Jovan?
Well-known people named Jovan include Jovan Vladimir (politician), Jovan Cvijić (geographer), Jovan Jovanović Zmaj (writer).